Call for Nominations for the 2019 Mortensen Award

April 22, 2019

Robert Rookhuyzen (left) receiving the 2018 Mortensen Award from Ron Schow at the 2018 Affirmation International Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Every organization has individuals working within it whose leadership, commitment to service and inspiring example makes a real difference in the lives of others and in the mission of the organization. Affirmation has such individuals, and we would like to recognize and honor them.

Each year, should a suitable candidate be nominated, an award for outstanding leadership and service is presented at the annual conference. This award is named in honor of Paul Mortensen, the first to receive it and one of the founders of Affirmation, and is the highest honor Affirmation can bestow upon an individual member. We call upon all members and supporters of Affirmation to nominate worthy candidates for this award for 2018.

The criteria for selecting a nominee should be:

Someone who has demonstrated outstanding leadership & service,

A member of Affirmation dedicated to its goals and working to achieve those goals,

A person making a difference in the lives of others,

An individual who is a self-starter and a motivator of others.

Please consider those you know who are working within Affirmation and submit a nomination letter to the selection committee. The letter should not just name the individual but list all the reasons this individual is qualified and why you think they should be selected. The selection will be made by a committee of past recipients of this award.

Because Affirmation has spread around the world and exists in many forms (in person, social network, etc.), we don’t know personally all our fellow members or supporters, so please be as detailed as you can. You may include other news articles or supporting documents as well. Also, please be sure to include your name and contact information, so we can contact you for more information if needed.

Nomination letters should be sent to Olin Thomas, chair of the Mortensen Awards Committee. Email them to him at MortensenAward@affirmation.org, or by US Mail to 69 Fendall Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304. We ask that you not send copies of your letter to anyone else within Affirmation, or publish it in any way. It is a nice surprise at the conference for people to hear they’ve been nominated, and the committee would like to make a selection based on the facts rather than a media blitz. However, please distribute this call for nominations to everyone you know within Affirmation.

Please submit nominations right away, but no later than May 25, 2019. Think of this not only as a nomination for the most valuable player of the past year, but as a lifetime achievement award. Consider all your nominee has done for Affirmation and our community – then write it down and send it to us!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Olin Thomas, by email or phone (voice or text) 703-864-5527. We look forward to seeing you at the 2019 Conference in Provo, Utah in June!